Today's Opinions

There’s been much debate about whether the community rights ordinances approved by the Las Vegas City Council and Mora County Commission are lawful.

Danelle Smith, a respected lawyer in Las Vegas and a former city attorney, weighed in on that issue earlier this month. Her conclusion is that the ordinance approved by the Council is “clearly unconstitutional” and “will cause major problems for the city of Las Vegas if (it) is ‘enacted’ into law.”

“You’re far too critical. It’s still affluent water, no matter how you spell it,” my wife, Bonnie said, as we went for the fifth trip to haul effluent water from the city plant on 12th Street.

And if this seems like a commercial, well it is. We’re pleased with the service by those people who provide recycled water to legions of pickup-driving residents trying to save their lawns, bushes and trees.

Many readers of the Optic are aware that the acequias (irrigation ditches) in the Gallinas River Basin are involved in a legal struggle over water with the city of Las Vegas. It is a struggle that has been going on for more than 50 years.